ADA seeks new dentists to help address workforce shortages through ambassador program

Letters of interest due by Sept. 12

The American Dental Association is seeking new dentists to serve as workforce ambassadors.

Launched by the ADA Council on Dental Practice, the ADA Workforce Ambassador Program aims to address workforce shortages by increasing the sharing of information and best practices among member dentists and state and local dental society leaders.

“We are grateful to the member dentists and state and local dental society leaders who have already begun serving as workforce ambassadors,” said Jennifer Thompson, D.D.S., vice chair of the Council on Dental Practice. “Given the acute challenges facing the dental workforce in many states, creating a framework for grassroots leaders to share ideas that can be tailored to local or regional needs will expedite the pipeline. Collectively, we can work toward a future where we have enough dental team members and dentists to expand patient care.”

Workforce ambassadors will identify one SMART — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound — goal related to workforce issues to address for their state, learn from leaders who have developed innovative workforce-related programs, and share information and resources with each other.

Alyssa Darling, D.M.D., who graduated from dental school in 2016 and works at River Hills Community Health Center in Ottumwa, Iowa, serves as the workforce ambassador from Iowa.

“I think it is very beneficial to have a sort of ‘think pot’ where we can gather ideas, test these ideas out, and see what works or doesn't work for us. Just because an idea may not work for the entire state, doesn't mean it won't work for a smaller community,” Dr. Darling said. “We dentists are trying to figure out ways to increase the workforce, and being able to brainstorm with colleagues from around the nation allows us to learn new ideas and concepts that could help out our collective whole.”

In Iowa, many of the dental hygiene and assisting programs have years-long waitlists for prospective students, often because of limited faculty and facilities, she said. Her SMART goal involves forming a potential alliance between the federally qualified health center where she works and a community college in the area to help provide more faculty and operatory space from the health center for the college’s dental hygiene and assisting programs.

“If we are able to increase faculty, then we can increase the amount of students entering the programs,” Dr. Darling said.

The Council on Dental Practice is especially seeking volunteers from states that are not already represented in the program. Current ambassadors include member dentists and society leaders from not only Iowa, but also Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and Washington.



Ambassadors meet virtually from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Central time on the second Friday of each month.

Those interested should submit a letter of interest by Sept. 12 to dentalpractice@ada.org.